Lycan's unexpected mate

Pep talk

Atalanta

As we are walking towards the pack, I realise something important. The man, Merdok, recognised me. He knew who I was! He knew what the colour of my eyes meant. But that shouldn't have been possible, or could it? I mean, only Alphas who come to the Royal Pack on occasional meetings know what golden eyes mean. But that also means that the man was the Alpha or someone close to him whom he had trusted with the secret.

'Diana?' I ask my lycan. 'What d'you think?'

I can feel her nervousness. At that very moment, neither of us paid attention but now, when we realised that there is the possibility that the lycan secret had been leaked . . .

'We have to wait, Atalanta,' she answers after a minute of pondering about the same things I am. 'I believe we are going to find out soon enough,' she adds when we both notice that we are very close to the packhouse.

Thaumas stops me behind a tree that has claw marks all over it. We aren't in the hearing range, yet, so I realise that he wants to discuss something in private. He looks me in the eye and says: "I know that you feel responsible. I know how you always try to save someone from the attacks we are sent to, and that you choose them carefully. But sometimes fate is against us and you can't save everyone no matter how much you want to."

"But . . ." I start.

"No buts, Tali," he says using my nickname at which I can't help but smile. "Your father has given me specific orders. Our pack is growing too fast and because we live as long as we do, soon we will run out of living space and resources. You know that Triton is doing his best to keep every lycan in one place in the Royal Pack but the premises are limited and our people are in danger when they leave the pack."

I have to agree. Thaumas is right and that's why I can't look him in the eye. My shoes have become that much more interesting. Indeed, we are slowly outgrowing our land and we can't exactly ask others to sell us their land. This would be unfair because we would have to move them away and that would result in changing the whole map of our world. Most humans are unaware that there is another map of the world than the one they have created with 206 countries. There is also the map of the packs and covens and there is almost no space that could be called "no-man's-land". You can find an unclaimed area if any pack or coven is annihilated, but the Royal Pack is here to prevent such things, so . . .

Thaumas touches my cheek and forces me to look at him. "Maybe this was meant to be. You have already turned George this year. Let's wait for some more time before we bring anyone else home. I understand that it hurts when innocent lives are lost. Hell, during the battle I felt all the good souls that left. But when we get to the pack, you'll see how many we have saved. These people wouldn't have survived without our assistance. Remember that, okay?"

I nod solemnly. The survivors are someone to live for. We can't let these lives go to waste. And they need the reassurance that they are safe now. And I am the only one who can do it because I am presenting myself as an Alpha's daughter from Silent Heights Pack. I take a deep breath and clean my bloody hands on the legs of my trousers. I've ruined it when I knelt next to Merdok so it can't get any worse.

Thaumas looks me in the eye and sends me an encouraging smile. He's like a brother to me. When I was younger, we did much mischief and always got away with it. We work exceptionally well together although there is a century-long age gap between us. No-one would have guessed that if he didn't know us.

Thaumas became father's Beta when his father, the former Beta, died during one of these rescue missions. He was attacked by a witch and the spell weakened him so much that a rogue could kill him. Later on, when we interrogated the witch, she couldn't understand how he survived such a lethal spell. We didn't tell her why and my father took care of her immediately. We burnt her in the evening.

Ever since then, Thaumas is as protective of me as my father. He makes sure I don't do anything overly crazy, he covers up for me and helps me with my load of responsibilities. With him, I still feel as if he were my big powerful brother who can drive all bad things away from me.

In addition, my father keeps telling me to grow up and start learning the ways of ruling because he wants to retire. I can't understand why it has to be me even though I am the oldest. Why can't my younger brother take my place? That way at least the leader will be of my father's blood. If anything, I am a woman so my place is being a Luna. Although never in my life have I imagined myself as a dutiful wife who obeys her husband's every command and whim, who spends her days cooking, sewing, preparing ceremonies, supporting her husband, welcoming other packs, speaking with other ladies and such. My, my, it's a headache to listen to my mum gossip with other females and I run away as fast as I can whenever I get to the hearing range.

I look at Thaumas and hug him, smearing some of the wet blood on him. None of us minds it. I tell him: "Thank you, I needed the encouragement."

"Don't thank me, Tali," he answers, releasing me from his grip. "Anything for my little sister."

I giggle and start feeling somewhat better. Merdok's death is still weighing down on me but I know that it won't be in vain because I will go find Joanne and save her just like I have promised.

Nodding my head in the decision, I motion for Thaumas to go the packhouse. "Let's go," I say. "I guess I took the longest of us all."

"Actually, yes," he agrees. "That's why I went looking for you. Others are gathered in front of the packhouse helping with the rest of the injured pack members. We are good to go at your command."

"Any casualties I don't know about?"

"Nope. This time we didn't lose any one of ours but this pack isn't faring so well. You will see."

I sigh and my legs grow heavy as I start observing the survivors. Mostly children and teenagers. A few adults, more women than men.

Oh gosh, this is so not good!

I give Thaumas a quizzical look and he answers my unspoken question immediately. "The rogues went after adults. We have found bodies of the whole Beta and Gamma families, Alpha White is nowhere to be found, his Luna is dead. Only about 10 male warriors survived and are treated in the clinic. I don't know if they'll live though. It's slightly better with females, 25 survived, only 5 in critical condition. And then the kids."

My vision gets blurry. This isn't even a quarter of the adult population of this pack. I blink back tears because I can't get all emotional. I need to be strong for them. I take all lives personally and they fuel me to do the next right thing. I square my shoulders, hold back the tears, breathe out and try to calm down so that I didn't accidentally push Diana out. She purrs calmingly in my mind and I am thankful that I got such a great relaxed companion as my lycan.

'We have a promise to fulfil, dear. Are you ready?' Diana asks.

'As ready as I can be,' I claim and she pokes her snout in the side of my mind, eliciting a grateful smile from me.